Spring is here

It has been over six months since my last post.

I have worked on the garden over the winter, preparing it for the real work of spring. I have turned some of my beds; I have collected a pick-up load of horse manure and distributed it to my fruit trees; today I prepared a small bed of spinach, a sort of experiment to see how early I can plant spinach. Last season spinach was a disappointment, and I am trying to do better.

The apricot tree was the first to flower, and to suffer the results of two freezes. The flowers are gone from the branches. Another year of no crop.

The peach tree in the vegetable penitentiary flowered next, and much to my surprise, the flowers are still lingering on the branches, as seen in this picture taken today:

Is it possible some of them will turn to fruit? I hope so. The other two young peaches no longer have flowers. The tiny one that gave us three fruits last season is taking a rest now.

I have a new prunus domestica tree, and it has flowers, but I do not expepct any of them to make it to fruit.

The apple tree(s), the old matriarch that gave us so many apples last season, is about to flower, as are the three youngsters.

The pear trees are looking very good and seem to be about to burst into flower. I am anxious to see what they will do in this their second year in my "orchard."

Spring greetings and happy gardening!